Nike Airphoria in Fortnite
In Summer 2023, Nike launched Airphoria—a groundbreaking experience inside Fortnite that reimagined the Air Max legacy through the lens of gaming. Powered by Epic Games’ pioneering Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), Airphoria enables players and their friends to explore a meticulously crafted Air Max–themed universe. Airphoria combines the signature design elements of Air Max with the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of Fortnite. Celebrating the spirit of innovation and self-expression, Airphoria will allow fans to engage with Air Max sneakers in a new, captivating way as they embark on the ultimate sneaker hunt.
Airphoria Teaser Video
I partnered with the Epic Games Innovation Lab and Nike’s Creative Director to art direct the teaser video for Airphoria. I began by using early gameplay footage to mock up a rough storyboard, which helped shape the narrative direction. This initial vision was refined into an official shot list by Epic Games, ultimately forming the foundation of the final teaser storyline. The video introduced the game’s quest, key characters including both the protagonist and antagonist and offered a glimpse of the world players would soon explore. I also guided the audio direction, helping shape the soundtrack and sound effects to bring the tone and energy of Airphoria to life.
Museum Max
No museum is complete without artifacts, so for Museum Max, the Air Max themed museum inside the game. I led the creative on bringing the walls to life with original art. I art directed five custom wall pieces and one central 3D sculpture, each celebrating a different aspect of Nike’s Air innovation. I led the creative from brief to execution, developing the visual concepts, writing the narrative for each piece, and overseeing final delivery.
Air Max 1: A playful nod to its pill-shaped sole and endless colorways, reimagined as squishy, gummy-like spheres in vibrant rainbow hues.
Air Max Pulse: Inspired by the shoe’s durability and softness, this piece blended textures like rock, fabric, and TPU to reflect strength and comfort in balance.
Air Max 97: Known for its ripple design, we brought that to life with a floating shoe surrounded by dynamic, swirling ripples that radiate across the canvas.
Air Max Scorpion: We played with contrast an oversized airbag form tangled in colorful Flyknit threads, capturing both structure and softness.
Air Max Tailwind: This one zoomed in on the shoe’s distinct details, turning geometric patterns, squiggles, and airbags into a bold, abstract visual study.
At the heart of the space stood a sixth piece: a 3D sculpture that mashed up several Nike Air unit innovations into one futuristic monument. It served as both centerpiece and symbol, a visual reminder of how Nike continues to reimagine the future of sport.
Unreal Fest 2023
For Unreal Fest, I led the development of all content featured in the Airphoria presentation. I built the keynote deck and crafted the supporting visuals and narrative that brought the project story to life. I collaborated closely with the presenters, Nike’s Creative Director, Epic Games’ Creative Director, and Epic Games’ Executive Producer, to ensure the content aligned with their voice and vision. From gameplay footage to storytelling flow, I helped shape a clear, engaging presentation. The goal was to not just showcase what we built, but to tell the story of how it came to life.
To watch the full presentation, click here.
Recap Assets
I handled the full creation of the project recap, from design to delivery. For email recap, I designed the layout, created all supporting graphics, and built a clean, clickable PDF that showcased the work. I also set up the email itself, ensuring everything was linked, functional, and ready to share with both internal and external teams. It was a one-stop recap that made the experience easy to understand and easy to celebrate.
